Amarnath
Amarnath cave is located in a narrow gorge on the farther end of Lidder valley at 3,888 m above sea level. The cave is 45 km from Pahalgam and 141 km from Srinagar. The trek begins in July-August. Despite being an extremely difficult trek, millions of devotees come to pay homage to Shiva in one of his Himalayan abodes.
The yatra, in its present religious form, commences with the ceremony of “Chari Mubarak,” at the Dashnami temple, Akhara, Srinagar. After the prayers, the yatri acquires a sort of walking stick. It has both physical and religious significance: physically, it helps the yatri in steadying himself on a snow covered slippery path; spiritually it reminds him of his resolve at the temple at times when his faith begins to waver in the face of a long and arduous journey. Nowadays people travel to Pahalgam first and then undertake the onward journey of 45 km on foot, in batches. Overnight halts are in encampments that are set up at fixed distances and give the appearance of a military site. The return trek has to be covered in five days with night halts at Chandanwari, Wawjan and Panchtarni. The distance of 12.8 km from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is completed in five to six hours with the first night halt at Chandanwari. The trail is along thick and green woodlands of breathtaking beauty. The playful stream of Lidder meanders and dances alongside, showing its sparkling white foam with the pride and purity of a maiden descending directly from the lap of the perennial Himalayas. One main attraction of this trail is the bridge on the river Lidder, which is covered with snow even when the surroundings are bereft of snow.
Pilgrimage
Depicting a breathtaking diorama of natural beauty, Jammu and Kashmir boasts of several interesting places to visit. And in between this majestic allure lies a heavenly world. The religious richness of the state is very well represented by its several sacred shrines that make it an ideal pilgrim destination in India. From temples to mosques to Gurudwara, there is a spiritual house for people of all faith which in turn make Kashmir pilgrimage tour quite popular among devotees and general tourists.
There are several religious places in Kashmir that adorn the landscape of the valley with their heavenly presence. From the mighty presence of Amarnath Temple on Mount Amarnath to the shining white marble structure of Hazratbal Shrine at the shores of Dal Lake, most of the pilgrimages in Kashmir feature picturesque locations, making them a wonderful treat for the eyes.
Kashmir pilgrimage tour also provides an insight in the historical grandeur of the region through its architecturally rich shrines. Though there are several noteworthy sacred sites but the harmony depicted by Hari Parbat is a talk of admiration. Located on the outskirts of Srinagar city, Hari Parbat is a hill that houses one Hindu shrine, a Gurudwara and two mosques standing side by side. The other popular and sacred pilgrimage centres in Kashmir are Jama Masjid and Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar; Charar-e-Sharief situated en route to Yusmarg; Martand located about 5 miles from Anantnag; and Baba Reshi Shrine at a distance of about 5 km from Gulmarg.
Amarnath Yatra Special
Destinations Covered: Srinagar – Sonamarg – Baltal – Amarnath – Srinagar Duration: 02 Nights/03 Days.
Sightseeing
A visit to Kashmir wouldn’t be complete without taking a few side trips out into the glorious Kashmiri countryside (after all, Kashmir isn’t called the “Switzerland of India” for nothing!). It’s filled with flowers in spring and snow in winter. Pretty Kashmiri villages with traditional wooden houses and colorful rooftops can be seen along the way. These popular tourist places in Kashmir are good starting points.
Amarnath Yatra Special
Destinations Covered: Srinagar – Sonamarg – Baltal – Amarnath – Srinagar Duration: 02 Nights/03 Days.